Early stabilization of body fluid loss can be important in the treatment of wounds. For example, many injuries are treatable if effective hemorrhage control and operative surgical intervention are undertaken rapidly. However, in many situations, immediate access to surgical care is not available. Internal wounds may be particularly difficult to treat in such situations, as traditional treatment techniques (e.g., application of pressure to stop bleeding, etc.) are difficult to implement with such wounds.
The use of polymers in the treatment of wounds is well known in the art. However, previous materials and methods for treating wounds with polymers have suffered from a variety of drawbacks. For example, many polymers irritate skin and/or internal tissues, or are not sufficiently biodegradable to be suitable for use inside a body cavity. Moreover, many polymers also lack suitable mechanical properties to be useful inside the body; polymers that are too stiff may lead to discomfort or further injury, while polymers that are too soft may fail to provide adequate support for internal tissues.
Finally, polymers can be difficult to place within a body cavity.